No Excuse Necessary

Author’s Note: So it appears that many of us felt like we were missing something in last week’s (Chapter 11) Beckett diamond scene, hence the many different fics that have been published since then already.  This is my interpretation of what should have happened, and of course it went naughty because … Beckett.  Enjoy!

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Turning over again in her bed and pulling the covers up to her chin, Elliott attempts to keep her eyes closed and will her body to sleep.  Perhaps counting sheep or other  happy things will do the trick, she muses … she imagines a bright blue sky, a vibrant rainbow cast across the horizon and hundreds of fluffy clouds dotting the picturesque view.  One fluffy cloud … two fluffy clouds … three fluffy clouds … one dark cloud … one dark shadow monster … mirrors, lots of mirrors-  As soon as Elliott recognizes that her train of thought had veered drastically off course, she also realizes that her eyes are inevitably also wide open. She blinks a few times, focusing her gaze on the silver-haired form sleeping peacefully on her floor, and everything comes flooding back to her at once … and again, she finds herself wide awake.  

To say the last twenty four hours had been eventful would be a drastic understatement.  Getting sucked into another realm, chased by a shadow monster, encountering Raife Highmore … all of that before she finally escaped back to Penderghast with aid of Atlas.  Her twin sister, who she hadn’t met until about four hours. It was a lot to process, for sure. Her mind did rest a little easier knowing how concerned her friends had been about her when she’d disappeared in the hall of mirrors, her heart filled with appreciation for this ragtag group she had surrounded herself with over these past few months.

One friend in particular stood out in her mind, the look of deep relief in his eyes when he saw her (well, Atlas actually) safe and sound back in her dorm room.  She had known Beckett cared for her, that much was evident in the way he’d allowed her to see his more vulnerable side over the past several weeks. But showing up uninvited again tonight just to check on her, his concern obvious in the shaky inflection of his voice and the hesitant way he’d tended her injuries … the memory alone filled Elliott with such affection for this normally closed-off loner that she felt her heart could burst.  She was falling for Beckett Harrington, and falling hard … and it seemed he was falling for her too.

Now completely alert, her mind drifted back to their interactions in the common room.  The way his hands drifted across her waist, clasping firmly around her and pulling her back flush against his chest.  The feel of his lips along her neck, behind her earlobe, her flesh tingling under his touch. His voice a husky whisper, soft and deep in her ear.  Just the memory alone set Elliott’s entire body on fire, thrumming with a thirst that yearned to be quenched. She recalled the look in his eyes as he kissed her goodnight, dark with desire … yet always the gentleman, calm and controlled, he had simply whispered farewell and slipped away into the night.

Lying alone in her bed, staring at the ceiling, Elliott decided she was finally tired.  Tired of being guarded, tired of holding back, tired of waiting. She had nearly died today, for chrissakes!  If that wasn’t proof enough that life is fragile, life if short … she wasn’t sure what was. She quietly slipped the covers from her body and dropped her feet to floor, carefully tiptoeing around Atlas so as to not wake her.  She grabbed a sweatshirt from the back of her desk chair and slid it on over her tank top and sleep shorts, then escaped out of her dorm room.

Standing directly in front of Beckett’s room, she found herself hesitating for just a moment.  She took a deep breath in, straightening her shoulders before knocking softly on his door three times.  She waited, and waited … and waited some more but didn’t hear any noise behind the carved wooden door. She was about to knock again, her hand mid-air when she heard the bolts of the locks being unlatched.  The door swung open slowly to reveal a disheveled version of Beckett she had yet to see. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, a confused and half-dazed expression on his face. His hair was unkempt and sticking up on one side, and he stood before her wearing a soft heather gray t-shirt atop plaid pajama pants.  “Elliott? What are you doing here?” He opened his eyes wider a few times trying to focus before a look of worry met their corners. “Is everything okay? Are you alright?”

Elliott realized she was still standing silent in the hallway, her heart beating loudly in her chest as she allowed her eyes to graze him before her.  This was the real Beckett, unpretentious, honest, real … and he took her breath away. “Um, yeah …” she stumbled over her words, “everything is fine. I just …” Her voice trailed off, unsure of exactly what she wanted to say.  All she knew was she needed to see him, needed to feel him …

“You just what?”  Beckett gripped her upper arm, his grasp firm yet gentle as if he were holding her steady. And for a second there, he was.

Elliott swallowed hard, summoning all her courage before she took a step closer, sliding her hands up his biceps to cup the back of his head.  She laced her fingers through his hair, tilting his head downwards, meeting his gaze. “I just had to do this.” She heard his sharp intake of breath just as she plunged her mouth upon his, her lips capturing his firmly, unwilling to let him go.  He responded in an instant, his hands curved around her waist, his throat vibrating with a soft groan as she slipped her tongue inside his mouth. They lost themselves in each other, communicating every emotion and desire through that kiss. Holding each other tightly, for what could have been minutes or hours, until they finally had to separate to catch their breaths.  

“What was that for?” Beckett murmured between pants, his forehead pressed against hers and his lips curled into a coy smile.

Elliott chuckled, still amused at his disbelief every time she kissed him.  If only he knew how much she truly wanted of him … “You said earlier that you didn’t need an excuse to kiss me, Beckett.  Why should I?” She gave him a teasing smirk, eliciting a laugh from him before she pulled him back and kissed him again. “Aren’t you …” she purred, “going to …” between kisses, “let me come in?”

Beckett paused, pulling away to peer down at her questioningly.  “Are you sure, Elli? We can wait if you…”

“I’m tired of waiting, Beckett.”  She blurted out, her tone calm and sure.  She curled her arms tighter around his neck, placing a long, slow kiss to his mouth before beaming back up into his deep blue eyes.  “I want to be yours, all yours. I’m ready.”

Beckett trailed a thumb over her cheek, his expression softened as he studied her intently.  “Would you like to come in?” He stepped backwards, opening the door wider and extending his hand to escort her.  Elliott just nodded, resting her hand within his and allowing him to escort her inside.

Beckett led her through the common room to his bedroom, giving her a moment to take in her surroundings as he closed the door securely behind him.  Elliott surveyed his room, his desk neatly organized and a larger bookshelf full of books on the wall, his signature outfit of slacks and a blazer laid out on his chair for the next day … everything just as she would have pictured.  The realization made her smile fondly. She turned back to find him watching her, his back pressed against the door with his hands behind his back. She stepped closer to him, quirking her head to the side curiously. “Are you nervous?”

He inhaled slowly, then released it just as leisurely, his eyes glistening in the moonlight shining through the window.  “Actually, no. Although I might be if you keep asking me.” He gave her a playful smirk, his lips tugging upwards at the corners as he stepped forward to meet her.  He stood before her, patiently waiting for her to make the first move.

Elliott allowed her hands to graze over his shoulders, down his chest to find the hem of his t-shirt.  She tugged it up and he helped pull it over his head, discarding it in a pile on the floor before pulling his pants off as well.  He felt surprisingly confident in that moment, recognizing the hungry stare in her eyes mirroring his own. He reached for her a moment too late, her hands already at work shedding her layers of clothing until she stood before him in nothing but her lacy indigo bralette and matching panties.  Just the sight of her nearly naked before him was enough to send a twinge of arousal through his body, his cock twitching against the soft cotton material of his boxer briefs.

Beckett tilted his head, bending down to kiss her gently as he slid his hands over her waist and up her back to pull the delicate lace garment over her shoulders and tossing it aside.  She looped her arms around his neck and arched into him as he laid a trail of feather-light kisses across her neck and shoulders, the tight pink buds atop her breasts tickling the skin on his chest until he captured them possessively inside his large palms.  She released a startled moan and pressed against him tighter, gripping his shoulders as his lips explored her. “Lay down, Elli.” Beckett commanded, the stern tone is his voice sending a thrill through Elliott. She did as she was told.

Settling into the covers, Elliott raised a hand to Beckett gesturing for him to lie down with her.  He nestled in beside her on the small single bed, meeting her lips in deep, unhurried kisses as his hand grazed over her torso to cup her bare breast.  Massaging it lightly he found her stiff peak with his thumb, rubbing circles around it and over it, causing Elliott to squirm beneath him. Taking his queue, he shifted down to take it in his mouth, rolling his tongue over the firm nipple and smiling at the gasps of pleasure from her mouth.  His hands wandered farther south over her belly, hooking his thumbs over the material of her panties and sliding them down her legs. As he rose to pull them over her calves and ankles and toss them aside, he finally allowed himself a moment to admire her before him. The rise and fall of her bare breasts with her panting breaths, the soft pink flush of arousal spread across her flesh … but best of all, the lust-blown look in her darkened eyes while she watched him in anticipation.  

Elliott gave him a sultry smile noticing his gaze upon her, motioning for him to come closer.  “Come here.” Rubbing her hands over the bare plains of his chest and back as he settled on top of her, she stopped when she found the cotton confines still separating them.  “But these are going to have to go.” She gave him a cheeky grin as he pulled them off and laid back down beside her, cupping his face in her hands and guiding his lips to hers again.  She felt his hand run along the length of her thigh, slowly tracing along the outside before dipping to the sensitive flesh between her legs. When he found her wet center she gasped audibly, rolling her hips into his hand while he slid through her slick folds.  Her body quivered when his thumb grazed her sweet sensitive nub and she felt the warmth building inside of her, a deep ache that only he could fill. “Beckett, please … I need to feel you.” She whimpered, her voice tinged with need.

Beckett halted his ministrations, reaching to the nightstand to grab a condom from the top drawer.  She stroked him firmly in her hand a few times before taking the contents of the foil packet and rolling it over his rigid member with ease.  He situated himself back between her legs and peered down into her crystal-clear hazel orbs as she positioned his tip at her entrance. Ever so slowly, his eyes never leaving hers, he sank into her, pausing for a moment before pulling out to do it again.  With the third thrust his composure failed and he closed his eyes, dropping his head to her shoulder with a low grunt as he pressed kisses along her neck.

Elliott held him tight, savoring the feeling of fullness as their bodies moved together at an unhurried pace.  Her senses were flooded with him, the aching sensation she had felt now swirling into a gentle hum of pleasure throughout her lower abdomen.  She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper inside of her and relishing the sound of Beckett’s subtle growls with each thrust in her ear.  “Mmm, Beckett …” she moaned his name into the air, buzzing with electricity, earning a deep groan from him at the sound of his name from her lips.

Suddenly she felt herself rolled over in one swift movement, finding herself straddling him as he lay on the bed.  She pushed up on his chest, locking eyes with him as she started moving on top of him. His eyes were dark as he watched her, his fingers gripping her hips as she moved, but she swore she saw a hint of a satisfied smile curling the edges of his mouth.  Tilting her hips just so, the new angle rubbing her clit just right and she felt him hitting her sweet spot with each thrust. The flutter deep inside her grew rapidly, her breaths coming out in mewling pants as she picked up the rhythm on top of him. She could sense he was getting close too, his teeth clenched with determination as he tried to hold out as long as possible.  The thought of his arousal and the feel of his cock twitching inside of her was just too much to take … Elliott’s vision blurred over with a bright white light of release as her walls started pulsing, the tremors of pleasure radiating through her body as she came with a startled moan. The sensations overwhelmed Beckett as he felt her quiver around him, the cry of his climax mingled with her own as he finally let himself go.

Elliott slumped over and snuggled against his chest, steadying her breathing in the warm comfort of his strong arms for a moment.  Beckett cleaned himself up quickly before wrapping them both snuggly in the covers, pressing a kiss to her forehead and settling back into his pillow with a contented sigh.  “So I guess that means you’re happy I decided to come over tonight?” Elliott teased, her voice drowsy and her eyelids fluttering already.

“Mmmm.  Very happy.”  Beckett whispered with another long sigh, which quickly turned to a yawn.  “I’m just lucky that my girlfriend is so persistent.”

Chuckling into the warm skin of his chest, Elliott nods.  “Damn right you are …” She nuzzles tighter into him, pressing a kiss to his chest as she starts to nod off.  

“Hey …” Beckett nudges her, tilting his head to look into her sleepy eyes.  “I know I said this before, but I want you know … I’m really glad you’re okay.  I was so worried about you today, I don’t know what I’d do if-“

“Beckett …” Elliott paused him by pressing two fingers against his lips.  “It’s okay, I’m right here. I’m fine.” She didn’t want to think about the creepy man and creature out there lurking, still searching for her.  And she definitely didn’t want to worry Beckett about them. Not now at least. For now, she just wanted to enjoy this precious moment and remember what she was fighting for.  

“I know, I know … and I’m so glad you are.”  Beckett placed another chaste kiss to her forehead, pausing there to inhale her scent.  “Goodnight, Elli.” He whispered as he nestled in for sleep.

“Goodnight, Beckett.”  She whispered, smiling to herself.  And this time sleep came easily.

END